Today, Razer, alongside the Pokémon Company, announced a new line of Pokémon-inspired gaming peripherals revolving around the original starter Pokémon from Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. This collaboration proudly displays Ash’s starting team as the key focal points. Almost 30 years have passed since the original launch of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green, so this collaboration is an exciting way to remember the original group of starter Pokémon that kicked off the franchise. The Razer X Pokémon Collaboration offers Pokémon fans the ability to display their love for Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur through a keyboard, wired mouse, wired headset, or a mouse pad.
In preparation for the announcement, Razer sent us the four gaming peripherals to test out before they were officially revealed. Prior to testing out this gaming equipment, I was using the Razer Huntsman V3, Razer Deathadder V2, MSI AGILITY GD70 Gaming Mouse Pad, and the HyperX Cloud Alpha Gaming Headset – Itachi Edition. For this preview, I will be comparing each item to its counterpart. In case you missed Brandon’s article earlier, the Razer X Pokémon collaboration features a Razer BlackWidow V4 X (Keyboard), Razer Kraken V4 X (Headset), Razer Cobra (Wired Mouse), and the Razer Gigantus V2 – Medium (Mouse Pad).
Now, rather than just talk about the collaboration as a whole, let’s go over each item in the Pokémon x Razer collaboration. Up first is the Razer BlackWidow V4 X – Pokémon Edition keyboard.
Unboxing the Razer BlackWidow V4 X – Pokémon Edition keyboard was fairly simple, with only two pieces of tape sealing the box. Once you open the box, there is a thin plastic covering the keyboard to protect it from dirt and other contaminants.
Installing the Razer BlackWidow V4 X – Pokémon Edition keyboard is fairly simple. Just plug it in and go. If you have the Razer Synapse program, you can transfer your previous settings to your new keyboard and have it good to go.
Switching to the Razer BlackWidow V4 after using the Razer Huntsman Keyboard is not an easy task. Rather than the escape row being the end of the keyboard, we now have to adjust to the macro keys being the end of the keyboard. Because of this, I found myself accidentally hitting the caps lock blindly.
Regarding the actual feeling of the keyboard. The Razer BlackWidow V4 X feels a bit stiffer, with the keys feeling hard to the touch. With the Razer Huntsman, key input felt precise and smooth. The keycaps also felt smooth with the Huntsman having more of a glossy finish vs the Blackwidow’s coarse and textured design.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 utilizes sound-dampening foam and lubricated stabilizers to reduce the mechanical clicking sound when typing. The keyboard has been designed with Doubleshot ABS Keycaps to help with intense use; that means if you get frustrated with your game and slam on the keyboard, the keys should be able to withstand some of the damage. On the far right side of the keyboard, there is a roller that can be used to adjust your computer’s sound volume; it can be programmed for other options as well.
The keyboard itself is rather sleek, with its design featuring the Kanto starters underneath the keys. The RGB Chroma lights show off the keys while accentuating the Pokémon art design. Although the Pokeball keycaps for the ALT button are a neat design choice, it would have been better if Razer had done Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pikachu keycaps.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 X – Pokémon Edition costs $169.99 USD / €199.99 MSRP, so if you are in the market for a new keyboard, it is something to consider.
Up next is the Razer Cobra – Pokémon Edition wired mouse. When we compare the Razer Deathadder V2 to the Razer Cobra, it is clear that I will not be switching permanently to the Razer Cobra.
Yes, the Razer Cobra is sleek, lightweight, and has good precision, but it does not have the same heft to it as the Razer Deathadder. As a tall male (6’9), the Razer Cobra is just too small for my hands, and it feels like it might fly off my desk.
If you are a fan of lightweight mice, then you can appreciate the small design of the Razer Cobra. The Cobra is sleek, and the Pokémon print makes the yellow of the mouse stand out. The base color chroma of yellow with the yellow of the mouse can be a bit overwhelming, but you can change the light color.
The Kanto Starters on top of the Razer Cobra do make the mouse look good, but the decal will wear off over time. Depending on the quality of the design, it could easily come off with a lot of use.
If you are interested in picking the Razer Cobra – Pokémon Edition wired mouse, you can purchase it for $59.99 USD / €69.99 MSRP.
Up next is the Razer Gigantus V2 – Medium – Pokémon Edition mouse pad. While the mouse pad is useful when playing games, it feels a little bit bland compared to other mouse pads out there.
If Razer had gone with their cute design on the different packages rather than the faces everywhere, it would have made the mouse pad stand out. The mouse pad has a good grip on base surfaces, but cannot be used with the keyboard.
If you are looking for a cute Pokémon mouse pad, you can pick up the Razer Gigantus V2 – Medium – Pokémon Edition for $29.99 USD / €39.99 MSRP
Last but certainly not least is the Razer Kraken V4 X – Pokémon Edition headset. Now, when we compare it to the HyperX Cloud Alpha Gaming Headset – Itachi Edition headset, it is more comfortable, easier to set up, and has a slightly better sound quality.
With the Razer headset, you can easily mute the mic or adjust the volume by interacting with the left earphone. When setting up the headset, you can choose to plug it in using either a standard USB or a USB-C. After using the headset for hours, it did not cause our ears to become sore. The headset’s mic is retractable, which means it does not sit awkwardly in front of your face.
While the Razer Kraken V4 X – Pokémon Edition headset has mostly positive aspects, its biggest flaw is that you are unable to detach the headset’s cord if you have to replace it. The cord itself is rather short, meaning that you will need to take off the headset even if only moving a few feet away from your desktop.
Out of all the products that we got to try out, the Razer Kraken V4 X – Pokémon Edition headset is the one I will use the most; the Razer BlackWidow V4 X – Pokémon Edition keyboard falls into second place.
The Razer Kraken V4 X – Pokémon Edition headset can be purchased for $99.99 USD / €109.99 MSRP.
